Being the amazing, true-to-life adventures and (very likely) misadventures of a writer who seeks to take his education, activism and seemingly boundless energy to North Minneapolis, (NoMi) to help with a process of turning a rapidly revitalizing neighborhood into something approaching Urban Utopia. I am here to be near my child. From 02/08 to 06/15 this blog pushed free speech to the envelope, so others could take heart and speak unafraid. Email me at hoffjohnw@gmail.com

Friday, September 21, 2012

Jail For Wesley Gubbin, Who Dumped His Oh So Distinctive Camouflage Truck In North Minneapolis After A Fatal Hit-And-Run

Creative stock photo taken in Washington, DC this summer, blog post by John Hoff
There are hundreds, thousands of actual and alleged criminals with some connection to North Minneapolis that I could write about. But there's just something about Wesley Gubbin that sticks in my craw...something about the way Gubbin seemed to make certain ASSUMPTIONS about our North Minneapolis neighborhood when he dumped his hit-and-run vehicle in this neighborhood after running down an elderly man on a bicycle.

According to the allegations in the complaint (and keeping in mind Gubbin did plead guilty) Gubbin was residing at 1508 Madison St. NE on or about November 12, 2011. On that day, Minneapolis police were dispatched to West River Parkway, just south of the Franklin Avenue Bridge on a report of a vehicle hitting a pedestrian....

Word came as officers were responding the vehicle had left the scene. The victim, James Malloy age 61, was being assisted by paramedics when police arrived a the scene. A call came to police identifying the suspect vehicle as having the license plate RXJ 308, which came back to Wesley Francis McKeown Gubbin. Multiple witnesses at the scene described the vehicle driving fast in an aggressive way, which is about what you can expect of (dear god) a camouflage pattern pickup. Right after passing some vehicles the truck hit Malloy who was riding a bike (word is Malloy was going to his place of worship, a Jewish temple) and didn't even stop or slow down. The victim literally flew through the air.

While investigating the crash, officers got word the victim had died of injuries. Police located the truck, a 1996 Dodge Dakota, abandoned in the known blogging territory of Johnny Northside. Later that day officers interviewed the defendant and his girlfriend, who both pretty much spilled their guts. Word I have is the defendant turned himself in, but that detail is not mentioned in the criminal complaint. If so, it was the only smart thing Wesley did.

This blogger hopes Wesley Gubbin reforms himself during incarceration and comes out a better person after paying for his mistakes. And to anybody else who thinks of dumping a vehicle in North Minneapolis after committing a crime ELSEWHERE:

14 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Just like to say that I know Wesley. And he did make a big mistake and he knows that. But there is no way he deserves the same sentence as Amy Sensor who hasnt cooperated with authorities like Wesley did. He also doesnt deserve to be bashed by people like you who dont know who he is, and just make assmptions about him.Thanks

Wesley Gubbin should have stopped at the scene when he'd seen that he fatally injured a man.

He has a cell phone. HE should have been the one to call 911!

Wesley has a long, sad, life ahead of him, but it didn't have to be this way. He'll be in his thirties when he's out of jail, so he should grow up and learn from his mistakes while he is incarcerated.

Wesley, grow up and be a man when you are released. Be a responsible, humble, dutiful citizen that will help his fellow neighbor, not harm them. Get anger management counseling, and learn the virtue of patience.

I would like to add that no one knows what they would do if put in his situation... we can all say we would stop but we wouldn't know unless it happened to us. I know Wesley and have for sometime and understand that he was scared and in shock. he is a great guy and isn't the "monster" that everyone is making him out to be. You all need to leave him alone and stop bashing him...

When I said I agree with anonymous, I meant the first anonymous! I sure don't agree that Wesley will have a long sad life. He's a very brilliant and loving person who made a mistake. Find ONE person who hasn't made a mistake! Judge not, and you shall not be judged.

You sound very stupid and uneducated he did not dump his truck that was his place where he worked and he actually told the cops where to find it wes is a good friend of mine and you are a nobody to judge him and he did turn hiself in so get your facts straight

Wesley Gubbin had no choice but to turn himself in. Many many witnesses at the crime scene had immediately reported his license plate number, and his vehicle was described in excruciating detail. Also, he had a passenger in the vehicle with him when he struck the victim.

And did you even know they shared the same profession? They also worked together on a job a yesr or so before the accident. This should b an eye opener for wes and all people who ride bikes i cant tell you how often i see bikes running stop signs but yet its always the cars fault when these morons get creamed

I don't know Wesley very well, but I do know his family. He was raised well, and though he may have had a few difficulties through the years; he knows right from wrong. Saying that, I agree with another comment, we would all like to think we would do the right thing after doing something so horrible. But since I have not experienced it, I don't know for sure what I would do. He is getting what he deserves, and when he is done, and has paid his debt, it is a clean slate. I would bet he feels horrible about the death of an innocent, and it will be with him his whole life. But we as fellow citizens have to accept that debt paid, and then let him prove that he is a better person without us harassing him. I know north side is bad, it has been for a long time, but that does not mean all who live there are pricks and punks.

I was a witness who happened to be cycling past that day when Gubbin ran down that poor old man. I don't know anything about Gubbin personally but, to me, this did not look like an honest mistake. Gubbin was clearly driving like a maniac and there is NO WAY he didn't notice killing that poor old man. He ran the old man down and then accelerated, leaving the man to die alone in the street. This is how I saw it, anyway.

Thomas Malloy was a gentle and giving soul who rode his bike frequently to our Sabbath services. Wesley's truck description was recognized immediately by a police officer attending services that day who knew of Wesley and his truck from previous incidents. This was not Wesley's first 'mistake' but G-d willing, it will be the last time he needlessly takes a life.